The Philadelphia Irish Center wants you … to visit!
It’s time for the annual Irish Center Gathering on Sunday. If you have difficulty knowing how to be Irish—frankly that’s hard to believe, given these handy weekly instructions—consider the Gathering a one-day total immersion class. Not the school kind of class, with Sister Frances Joseph slapping you on the hand with a ruler and calling you a brazen article—this is the fun kind.
By “fun”we mean lots of music, including an appearance by incredible local songstress Leanne McGrory, Irish dance, tunes from the Philadelphia Emerald Pipe Band, a live broadcast of Vince Gallagher’s Sunday Irish radio show, plenty of activities for the kiddies, vendors, food and drink, and more.
And on the subject of Irish food, you will have the pleasure—nay, the gustatory adventure!—of indulging in a full Irish breakfast. Cardiac surgeons the world over highly recommend it. It brings them business. Seriously, it’s delish. Tuck into it and pretend you’re in Galway or Limerick or Dublin.
The bar will be open, too. The Irish have been known to consume an obscure drink called Guinness. You might try it.
The day’s festivities start at 10:30 a.m. and continue ’til 4 p.m. Please come … and bring your friends. (Video from a previous Gathering, below.)
Sharon Shannon
On Wednesday, toddle on down to the cozy Tin Angel, 20 S. Second Street for a concert by the fabulous accordionist Sharon Shannon (and fiddler and whistle player), joined by multi-instrumentalist and singer Alan Connor. The John Byrne Band opens for Sharon. A truly great and highly versatile band.
As always, we’re up to our arses in traditional Irish music sessions. There’s at least one every night (and some days) of the week. Check our sultry, brooding but always disarmingly lovely calendar. If you want her, all you have to do is whistle. Or you could just click this link: http://irishinphilly.com/calendar
